October 06, 2006

Two important archaeological finds in Mexico

Archaeologists working in the heart of Mexico City have discovered an
altar and a monolith that date back more than 500 years to Aztec times.

The finds may be one of the most significant Aztec discoveries in years.

The altar depicts the Aztec rain god Tlaloc and was uncovered last
weekend at the Aztec main temple, Templo Mayor, near mexico City's
central Zocalo Square.

The 11-foot (3.5-meter) monolith, which is still mostly buried,
is potentially the more important discovery. Some archaeologists
speculate the stone slab could be part of an entrance to an underground
chamber.

"This is a really impressive and exceptional Aztec monolith,"
said Leonardo López Luján, an archaeologist at the Museo del Templo
Mayor.

MEXICO
CITY — Researchers said Thursday they have unearthed what may be one of
the earliest calendars in Mesoamerica, a monolithic sculpture that
suggests that women held important status roles in pre-Hispanic culture.

The
massive stone sculpture depicts two decapitated women with streams of
blood or water flowing from their necks. Markings around the sides of
these figures appear to depict a 13-month lunar calendar, said
archaeologist Guillermo Ahuja, who led the discovery of the monument.

"This would be the first depiction of a calendar or calendar elements in such an early time period," Ahuja said.

Luciano
Cedillo, director of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and
History — which employs Ahuja — called the find "important and
surprising."

The monolith, which measures
more than 8 yards and weighs about 20 tons, was found in March 2005 by
construction workers at the Tantoc ruins in San Luis Potosí state, near
Mexico's northern Gulf coast.

It was carved
sometime around 700 B.C., likely by the Huasteco culture and possibly
predates early Mayan calendars by hundreds of years, Ahuja said.